Hinge for Orthopedic Knee Braces with Adjustable Range of Motion

Abstract

A hinge for orthopedic knee braces with adjustable range of rotation, comprises: a first hinge plate ( 1 a ), a second hinge plate ( 1 b ), two support arms ( 3 ) disposed left and right; one or more angle adjustment components ( 4 ); wherein a space ( 10 ) is defined between the first hinge plate ( 1 a ) and the second hinge plate ( 1 b ); the heads ( 3 a ) of the two support arms ( 3 ) are located within the space ( 10 ), each head ( 3 a ) of each support arm ( 3 ) is rotatable and the heads ( 3 a ) mesh with each other; each angle adjustment components ( 4 ) comprises a retainer frame ( 41 ) and a plurality of limiting pins ( 42 ), the retainer frame ( 41 ) is connected to the second hinge plate ( 1 b ) and located above the second hinge plate ( 1 b ). In the hinge of the present invention, the angle adjustment components can be mounted on the second hinge plate either before or after the riveting process.

1 . A hinge for orthopedic knee braces with adjustable range of rotation, comprising:
 an upper and a lower transverse hinge plate ( 1 ) separated from each other;   two support arms ( 3 ) disposed left and right, each having a head ( 3   a );   one or more angle adjustment components ( 4 );   wherein, the lower hinge plate is defined as a first hinge plate ( 1   a ), the upper hinge plate is defined as a second hinge plate ( 1   b ), a space ( 10 ) is defined between the first hinge plate ( 1   a ) and the second hinge plate ( 1   b );   the heads ( 3   a ) of the two support arms ( 3 ) are located within the space ( 10 ) and are disposed face to face, each head ( 3   a ) of each support arm ( 3 ) is rotatable and the heads ( 3   a ) mesh with each other;   each angle adjustment components ( 4 ) comprises a retainer frame ( 41 ) and a plurality of limiting pins ( 42 ) each disposed on the retainer frame ( 41 ) and extending into the space ( 10 ), and the retainer frame ( 41 ) is connected to the second hinge plate ( 1   b ) and located above the second hinge plate ( 1   b ).   
     
     
         2 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein the first hinge plate ( 1   a ) has two groups of first adjustment holes, each group of first adjustments holes corresponding to one support arm ( 3 ), and each group of first adjustment holes comprises a plurality of first adjustment holes ( 114   a ) disposed at intervals along a rotational direction of the corresponding support arm ( 3 );
 the second hinge plate ( 1   b ) has two groups of second adjustment holes, each group of second adjustment holes corresponding to one group of first adjustment holes, and each group of second adjustment holes comprises a plurality of second adjustment holes ( 112   b ) corresponding to the plurality of first adjustment holes ( 114   a );   two angle adjustment components ( 4 ) are disposed left and right above the second hinge plate ( 1   b ), each angle adjustment component ( 4 ) corresponds to one support arm ( 3 );   each angle adjustment component ( 4 ) comprises two limiting pins ( 42 ) each having a top end and a bottom end, the top end of each limiting pin ( 42 ) is connected to the corresponding retainer frame ( 41 ), and the bottom end of each limiting pin ( 42 ) passes through one of the second adjustment holes ( 112   b ) in the corresponding group of second adjustment holes and the space ( 10 ) and is then inserted into a first adjustment hole ( 114   a ) in the corresponding group of first adjustment holes;   when the two limiting pins ( 42 ) of each angle adjustment component ( 4 ) pass through the space ( 10 ), the two limiting pins ( 42 ) are located at a side of the corresponding support arm ( 3 ), so that the support arm ( 3 ) is capable of resisting against the two limiting pins ( 42 ) during the rotation of the support arm ( 3 ) so as to limit a rotational range of the corresponding support arm ( 3 ).   
     
     
         3 . The hinge of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer frame ( 41 ) comprises a base ( 411 ) connected to the second hinge plate ( 1   b ) and two flexible arms ( 412 ) extending outward from the base ( 411 ), each limiting pin ( 42 ) corresponds to one flexible arm ( 412 ), and a head of each limiting pin ( 42 ) is connected to a free end of the corresponding flexible arm ( 412 ). 
     
     
         4 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein the base ( 411 ) has two third elastic clips ( 4111 ) extending downward from a bottom of the base ( 411 ), the second hinge plate ( 1   b ) has two latch holes ( 122   b ) corresponding to the third elastic clips ( 4111 ), and each third elastic clip ( 4111 ) is latched within the corresponding latch hole ( 122   b ) so as to connect the base ( 411 ) to the second hinge plate ( 1   b ). 
     
     
         5 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein the two bases ( 411 ) in two angle adjustment components ( 4 ) are integrally connected to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein each flexible arm ( 412 ) is integrally formed on the base ( 411 ). 
     
     
         7 . The hinge of  claim 3 , wherein each flexible arm ( 412 ) is an S-shaped elastic component. 
     
     
         8 . The hinge of  claim 1 , further comprising a top cover ( 5 ) disposed above the angle adjustment components ( 4 ), a rear side of the top cover ( 5 ) is hinged to the second hinge plate ( 1   b ), and a front side of the top cover ( 5 ) is detachably connected to the first hinge plate ( 1   a ). 
     
     
         9 . The hinge of  claim 1 , wherein each hinge plate ( 1 ) comprises a plastic plate ( 11 ) and a metal plate ( 12 ) molded inside the plastic plate ( 11 ). 
     
     
         10 . The hinge of  claim 9 , further comprising two rivets ( 2 ) each having a head and a tail corresponding to the support arms ( 3 ), the first hinge plate ( 1   a ) has two mounting holes ( 31 ) corresponding to the rivets ( 2 ) vertically penetrating through the first hinge plate ( 1   a ), and each support arm ( 3 ) has a pivot hole ( 113   a ) vertically penetrating through the head of each support arm ( 3 ); and
 the head of each rivet ( 2 ) is molded inside the plastic plate ( 11 ) of the second hinge plate ( 1   b ) in an insert manner, and the tail of each rivet ( 2 ) passes through the corresponding pivot hole ( 31 ) and mounting hole ( 113   a ) and is then anchored onto the first hinge plate ( 1   a ).